US officials fear that Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia) militants held in Syrian prisons will stage a mass escape.
According to the Politico, the militants and their families are being held in temporary prisons. They are guarded by “US-backed Kurdish forces that have limited weapons.” This includes 9,000 militants and another 50,000 others, including wives and children.
“I don’t usually like this cliche, but this is like a ticking time bomb. If Turkey doesn’t stop these attacks against the SDF, we could see a major prison break,” the official, who asked to remain anonymous, According to Politico.
“Turkey views the Kurdish militias as a major security threat.” According to the Politico, Most of the detained militants are from Iraq and Syria, many came from Europe, Central Asia and North America, including the United States. However, the countries “are in no hurry to repatriate.”
Most of the Syrian provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Hasakah, located in the east and northeast of the Arab Republic, are currently controlled by the Kurdish “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF), which are supported by the United States. The United States has created nine military bases in these regions.
By the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014, the Islamic State group (before 2014 – the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIS) was recognized as a terrorist organization. Its activities in Russia are prohibited.
